Air heating and humidifying apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1933 c. w. GOOD ET AL 7 AIR HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS March 12 1935.

fiareafl. 6004 Hang 6f )Vaylor T/wmaal Began March 12, 1935. c, w, GOOD ET AL AIR HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 i I ave/2291:?

March 12, 1935. c. w. GOOD ET AL AIR'HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I m I Ina n22 Uuzrka IKaad Harty'Q' jyhr Tlwmaalflegan y 69? WW Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFic m HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Delaware Application December 15,1933, Serial No. 702,444

18 Claims.

This invention relates" to improvements in air heating and h'umidifying apparatus and more particularly a radiator arrangement.

One object of the-invention is to provide an efficient apparatusfor theheating and humidifying of air, which apparatus will be of'pleasing appearance and more particularly; but not exclusively, adapted for installation in wall recesses of homes and the like.

Another object of. the invention is to provide an apparatus of the'character indicated wherein are combined, to produceuniform'and balanced heating of the air of a room, means for heating by direct radiation, means for heating by convection, and means for imparting moisture to the air, the arrangement being preferably such that the currents of air which have 'n'ioisture imparted thereto, are kept segregated from the other air convection currents within theheating apparatus and allowed to co-mingle after leaving the apparatus and entering the room.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an air heating arrangement of, the general radiator type such that, when installed in a wall recess, the exposed radiator portions present an esthetic, attractive appearance, preferably of grille formation, said portionsnot only aifording the means for heating the air by direct radiation but at the same time concealing the convection heating and humidifying means'and providing for the'convection air currents, a fiuewall in association with the recess walls. Other and more specific objects of the invention are to provide an air heating and humidifying apparatus of the so-calld concealed type, wherein the concealed parts 1are readily accessible when this is desired; wherein none of the recess space is wasted in accommodating the heating assembly; wherein the connections between the feeder and return pipes and the heating units may be effected easily'and withthe supply control valve readily accessible; wherein the assembly, when installed in a recess, is provided with adjustable means for covering any gap that may exist around the apparatus and the adjacent wall portions so as to obtain a completely finished appearance when the installation is made; and wherein the combination of radiating, convection and humidifying units are such that the, total capacity thereof and'relative' capacity of the several units may be varied within a wide range to provide different air heating ca pacities and be accommodated in diiferent sizes of recesses. I

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. t

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the improved apparatus shown installed in a wall recess of a room beneath a window. Figure 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the front or normally exposed radiator sections proper removed to illustrate the portions of the apparatus normally concealed thereby. Figure 3 is a. vertical end' elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, upon a somewhat enlarged scale. Figure 4 is a vertical. sectional view ,upon an enlarged scale corresponding to thesection lines 4-4 of Figure 1. Figure '5 is a horizontal, sectional view, partly broken away, corresponding to the section line 5--5 of Figure 4. In this View, a portion of one of the doors employed in the apparatus is shown in'dotted lines in open position. Figure ,6 is an elevational view of the rear or back side of the upper corner of one portion of the radiator. Figure '7 is an enlarged, broken end elevational view, illustrating more particularly one of the end headers iii-connection with the adjacent radiating unit and one of the convection units. Figure 8" is a horizontal, detail sectional View, corresponding to the section line 8-8 of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a horizontal, detail sectional view, corresponding to the section line 9-9 of Figure 7. Figure 10 is a vertical, sectional view upon an enlarged scale, corresponding to the section line 10-10 of Figure 5, parts being broken out to better accommodate the view on the sheet, And Figure 11 is a broken horizontal detail sectional view, corresponding to the section line 11-11 of Figure 4. a A

The improved arrangement is shown installed in the recess of a room wall 19 of which the outer sheathing is indicated at'20; the inner at 21, the floor at 22 and'the sill of the window at 23. Preferably; the recess of the wall has inserted therein rality of finned heating units and hereinafter for convenience designated as convection heating units C.C; supply and return headers D-D;

and a plurality of humidifying units EE, to-- gether with certain other details of construction hereinafter described.

The radiating units A--A may be of any suitable type for effecting direct radiation to heat the air, said units A, as showi'l; comprising a plurality of vertically extending tubes 2727, com; municating at their tops and bottoms with horizontally extending top and bottom headers 28 and 29, respectively. The tubes 27 of each unit are preferably of generally hexagonal cross section, as shown in Figures 5 and 8 and suitably separated and preferably arranged more or less in groups of three as shown in approximately the lower three quarters of the section below the intermediate, horizontally extending header 30, the'central tube of each group of three above the intermediate header 30 being replaced by a bar 31, as best shown in Figure 1. With this construction, a grille effect is produced by each of the units A with obvious provision for passage of the air through the grille formation and, particularly outwardly through the upper horizontal series of openings. In actual practice, each unit A, which extends from one end of the apparatus to the adjacent edge of the central door opening, may be cast either as a single piece or in several sub units, suitably nippled together to provide operative communication for the heating medium, as will be understood. i

, The two end units A, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5', are horizontally separated and are placed in communication with each other by upper and lower horizontally extending pipes 32 and 33, shown in Figure 4, so that the heating medium, hot water, steam or vapor, may pass fronf one end to the other of the apparatus, as will be understood.

The opening between the two end radiating units A, is normally closed by the door closure means B. As shown, the latter comprises two doors or door sections 34-34, each preferably pivoted, as indicated at 35-35, to the adjacent radiating unit A. Said door sections 34, as best indicated in Figure 5, have preferably solid, vertically extending and spaced bars of such cross section on their front or exposed sides, as to simulate accurately the construction and grille-like appearance of the endradiator units A, this simulation being carried out from top to bottom, the door sections having upper and lower, channeled connecting bars 36 and 37 of outward appearance similar to that of the -upper and lower members 28 and 29 of the radiator sections and adapted to cover and conceal the horizontal pipe connections 32 and 33, as clearly shown in Figure 4. Suitable knobs 38 may be provided on the door sections for facilitating manipulation thereof. From the preceding description, it will be seen that when the door closure means are closed, the entire effect as apparent from-Figure 1.is that of a continuous, radiating, grille section from end to end of the apparatus, thus providing an attractive and esthetically appealing installation when the apparatus is in place and at the same time allowing of ready access to the concealed parts, as hereinafter explained;

Each of the finned heating units C may be of any desired construction, providing for rapid V heating of currents-of air passing thereby and,

preferably, each consists of a casting having a central chamber 39 with a plurality of spaced, laterally extending integral fins 4040 on each side thereof, each unit C, in end elevation, being of rectangular outline, as indicated in Figure 3. Each of said units C is preferably made of a length corresponding to the over-alllength of the end radiator sections A, minus the thickness of a header D, and placed behind the radiator unit in close proximity thereto, as shown. In

a the drawings, three of such units Cat each end of the apparatus have been illustrated uniformly corresponding to the width of the door opening of the apparatus. Each unit E is formed with vertical side walls 4141, a bottom wall 42, end walls 43-43, an intermediate horizontal partition 44. and a central, vertically extending partition 45, the upper edges of which are flush with the upper edges of the side andend walls 41 and 43. The central partition 45, as will be appi 'c t, provides an elongated, narrow opening or vent 46 for the passage of air vertically therethrough and, in conjunction with the side and end walls provides a rectangular pan orchamber 47 for retaining the water, which pan or chamber is obviously open at the top so that the vapors may be incorporated into the upwardly moving streams of air. The bottom wall 42 and intermediate partition 44, in conjunction with the side walls 41. end walls 43 and central partition 45, provide longitudinally extending chambers 4848 on .each

side of the central opening 46 for the circulation.

of the heating medium therethrough, said side chambers 48 merging at their ends into end chambers 4949 (see Figure 10) fromwhich communication is provided to the adjacent convection unit Cat each end by means of the push nipples 50-50, as shown.

Water is supplied to the'uppermost of the humidifying units E by any suitable means, such as the pipe 51 connected" with a suitable source of water supply, the admission of water being, controlled through a drip cock 52, although as v will be understood, automatic means .might be utilized for-controlling the supply. .The water is'preferably admitte'd at one end of the upper most unit E and fromthe latter the surplus is passed from the opposite end to the next lower unit E, as by the pipe 53; thence from the-second unit E by a similarpipe 53 to the lowermost unit and, finally, from the'latter any surplus-maybe drained oif to the sewer through; pipe 54, as

best shown in Figure 2.

Theheating medium is supplied to and returned from, directly with respect to eachofthe rad at ing units A and convection units G, by the headers D-D, which, preferably, are of like construction so that a description of one will suflice. The

supply pipe; is indicated at 55 with controlvalve 56 included therein and the return pi e at 57. a

Each header D is preferably in the form of a hol-.

low casting of a depth corresponding to thedepth of the recess and of relatively small dimension,

considered lengthwise of therecess, aswill be apparent from Figures8 and 9. The height of the header will obviously depend upon the number of convection units C,- which" are employed and also its depth maybe extended, if convection units C are arrangcd in tandem pairs, as may be done under 'some conditions. Eachheader D .is provided with a pair of depending feet 58- 58 carrying vertically adjustable headed bolts or cap screws 59-59 for suitably adjusting the height of the headers with reference to the floor, as will be apparent. At its bottom and on'the inner side away from the adjacent end wall of the recess, the header is provided with a nipple opening 60 to provide communication with the main supply or return pipe 55 or 57, as the case may be, On its front portion at a level above the nipple opening 60, each header is provided with a rounded 'corner ,or boss 61 which is horizontally alined with an inward lateral enlargement 62 on the corresponding adjacent end of the radiator unit A, said enlargements being suitably apertured and adapted for provision of a connecting push nipple 63, as shown in Figure 9. Particular reference is directed to the location and formation of the enlargement 62 of the radiator unit A, it being noted-that the latter is inwardly offset from the vertical end plane of the unit A, the enlarged vertical end tube 127 of the unit A being terminated somewhat above the bottom edge of the unit and the lower outer corner of the unit being completed by a flange 227, as clear from Figures 1, 8 and'9. Preferably also, small cover plates 158 may be detachably secured to the front feet 58 of the headers,'as shown in Figure 1 to conceal the latter and further increase the esthetic appearance of the arrangement. With this arrangement, it is apparent that the headers may have their outer sides brought flush or even within the vertical planes defined by the ends of the radiator units A without the presence of the header being discernable when looking at the installation, as shown in Figure 1. The arrangement described alsoresults in utilization to the fullest extent, of the space available in the .wall recess withoutinterfering in any way with the facility of connecting up the supply and return pipes 55 and 57 with the headers. Also, on the inner side thereof, each header is provided with nipple openings 64-64 located in accordance with the desired location of the convection units C and with which communication for the passage of the heating medium is effected through nipples 65, as shown in Figure 8.

When hot water is being used as the heating medium. it is desirable to provide an air vent for any air that may get trapped in the convection units C- and to this end, a vent pipe 66 is run from the uppermost convection unit C at one end thereof to the adjacent heating unit A on the back side of the latter, it being obvious that any air vented into the heating unit A may thence be vented from the radiating unit A through the usual air vent (not shown), provided at the top thereof on the front. When steam is being employed, an automatic steam vent may be employed, preferably located on the inner side of one of the radiating units A, such as illustrated conventionally at 67 in Figure 6. To provide for ready access to the vent pipe 66 or steam vent 6'7, thecorresponding adjacent bar 131 of the grille formation may be made detachable, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 6.

. It will also be understood that suitable tie rods will be extended longitudinally between the headers to hold the parts in properly assembledrelation, it being deemed unnecessary to show the same since this is a common practice.

In recess installation of radiators, difliculty is often experienced in accurate location of the feed and return pipes 55 and 57 when the latter are roughed in during the erection of the building with consequent difliculty in assuring exact location of the radiator with reference to the recess and adjacent wall surface. To provide for this diificulty and to insure a thoroughly neat installation without any gaps between the radiating apparatus and the walls and to eliminate the necessity of plastering over the gaps, as heretofore customary, an adjustable sealing strip is provided around the radiator, as shown at 68. This strip is of preferably right angular cross section and is extended down each end of the radiator units A and across the top of the entire assembly with one flange extending parallel to the wall surface and the other flange extended inwardly against the adjacent radiator sections. The strip 68 is adjustable inwardly and outwardly by means of 'set screws 69 extended through suitably elongated slots in the inwardly extended flange, the set screws 69 being carried by suitable bosses 70-70 formed on the radiator sections A-A. By suitably adjusting the screws 68, it is evident that when the apparatus is finally put in place and the connections effected, a snug and neat appearing joint may be made with the surrounding adjacent wall surfaces.

Each of the radiating units A, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, provides for relatively large capacity of the heating medium and the heat transferred will be radiated to the room, although at a relatively slow rate, due to the relatively small-proportion of heating surface area to the capacity of the units A. On the contrary, the convention units C have relatively small capacity for the heating medium but a relatively large surface area for heating the passing air currents and thus the latter will be rapidly heated. By combining these two types of units, it is. evident that rapid heating of the air of a room may be effected and that, when the supply of heating medium is shut off or reduced, while the heat from convection will decline rapidly, nevertheless, the radiating units A will continue to supply heat for a considerable length of time thereafter, thus greatly moderating the fall of temperature and providing for a more balanced heating effect. The humidifying units E, while not having the primary function of heating the convection air currents, nevertheless do provide heat in this manner to a certain extent by reason of the air currents passing around and through the same. In this connection, it will be noted that the rate of evaporization of water contained in the humidifying units E will necessarily bear a direct ratio to the quantity of heating medium passing through the other unts A and C. The

front wall formation, including the radiating unit A and door closure means B, obviously provide a flue wall functioning with the rear wall of the recess to determine the flow of the currents of air which initially enter below the radiator units A and door closure means B and pass vertically upwardly of the finned convection units C and humidifying units E.

Referring to Figures 4 and 11, it will be noted that provision has been made for segregating or keeping separate the convection air currents passing upwardly around the heating units C from those which pass upwardly in contact with the humidifying units E, this being accomplished by vertical partitions '75 at the ends of the uppermost humidifying unit E. Further, a deflector '76, extending from one end partition 75 to the other is disposed above the uppermost humidifying unit E-and so upwardly and outwardly ing the units E outwardly through the door closure means B below the top of the latter and the upper connecting pipe 32. Thus, convection air currents passing the units C will pass outwardly through the grille formations of the units A, as will be apparent.

By keeping those convection air currents which pass the units C separated from the convection air currents which pass and are moistenedfrom the humidifying units E, two separate currents of air are delivered to the room, one current being saturated and the other dry. These air currents mingle as soon as they enter the room and thereby produce a final composition of air of the proper humidity which will neither be superheated nor over saturated and hence will prevent condensation of moisture in the room as might otherwise occur when heating a relatively cold room at a rapid rate. The arrangement also obviously provides for properly proportioning the separate volumes of air passing the convection units C and the humidifying units E to obtain the desired balanced air condition, inasmuch as the number of units C may be varied and the number of units E likewise varied.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, many variations may be made in the arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as changes in the number and sizes of each of the types of units A, C and E; and the form and location of the closure means B; and adaptation of the entire arrangement to a completely exposed or cabinet style of radiator. What is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention as specifically applied to wall recess construction, has been shown and described, but the same is merely illustrative and all changes and modifications are contemplated that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a radiating heating unit; of a convection heating unit; a humidifying unit; supp and return headers, said headers and units being all in communication for the passage of the heating medium therethrough, the convection and humidifying units being located adjacent to and at one side of the radiating heating unit and the latter forming a flue wall for air currents passing upwardly of the convection and humidifying units, the convection and humidifying units being horizontally alined and having direct communication with each other.

2. In an apparatus of the character described,

the combination with a radiating heating unit extending vertically and having openings adjacent the top therein; of a convection heating unit; a humidifying unit; means for supplying a heating medium to and through all of said units, said convection and humidifying units being disposed adjacent and on one side of the radiating unit below said openings, the convection air currents after passing upwardly of said convection and humidifying units thencepassing through said openings.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of radiating heating units; of a plurality of convectionheating units; a humidifying unit interposed between the convection units and in operative communication therewith; and supply and return headers at the outer ends of said radiating and convection units having direct communication with the latter for passage of the heating medium.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with radiating heating units in horizontally spaced relation; of convection heating units in horizontally spaced relation; a humidifying unit interposed between said convection units and opposite the space between said radiating units; and door closure means for the space between said radiating units and adapted to effect concealment of said convection and humidifying units.

5. A heating apparatus of the character described for installation in a wall recess comprising: exposed front radiating heating means of grille formation; convection heating means;

humidifying means, said convection and humidifying means both being disposed adjacent to and on the unexposed side of said radiating means, the latter being adapted in conjunction with the wall of the recess, to provide a flue passage for currents of air .passing upwardly of the convection and humidifying means.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of radiating heating units; of a plurality of convection heating units; a plurality of humidifying units; supply and return headers at each end of the apparatus, each header having direct connection for the heating medium with a radiating unit and a plurality of convection units; and means providing for direct passage of the heating medium between the convection units and respective adjacent humidifying units independently of the headers.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination-with means forheating air by direct radiation; of meansfor heating convection air currents; humidifying means having passages therein for the heating medium, all of said means being in communication for the passage of the heating medium therethrough, said convection and humidifying means being disposed adjacent to and at one side of the radiating means and the latter forming a flue wall for the air currents passing upwardly of the convection and humidifying means, the convection units being longitudinally offset from the humidifying units.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with two horizontally separated end radiator sections; connections extending therebetween to provide for circulation of the heating medium between said sections; and door closure means for said space between the radiator sections, said means, in elevation, being structurally simulated to the elevational appearance of the radiator sections and, in combination with the'latter, presenting the appearance of a like radiator section formation from end to end of the assembly.

9. In apparatus of the character described, vertically extending radiating means; vertically extending door closure means alined with and attached to said radiating means, the door closure means being of elevational appearance, substantially the same as that of the radiating means to thereby simulate a continuous radiator means from end to end of the apparatus; and means for supplying a heating medium to the radiating means.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with exposed front radiating means; of means for heating convection air currents disposed alongside the radiating means on the unexposed side thereof; humidifying means also on the unexposed side of the radiating means I in a wall recess having an exposed front panel and longitudinally offset from said convection heating means; and means for maintaining vertically separate, the currents of air passing upwardly of said humidifying and COIIVBCtlOIl heat 1 being so located as to be accessible through the door closure means; and means for supplying a heating medium to the radiating and convection air current heating means.

12. In an air heating and humidifying apparatus of the character described, the combination with end headers; of a front panel comprising radiating sections at each end and intermediate door closure means; longitudinally separated air convectioncurrent heating means in operative communication with said headers at their opposite ends and' disposed on the back side of the panel; and humidifying means on the backside of the panel and located intermediate said air convection current heating means and opposite the door closure means, said radiating means being in communication with the headers; and pipe connections between the separated radiating means for the heating medium.

13. An air heating apparatus for installation including cast radiating units, the panel approximating the size and shape of the wall recess; metal'trimrning extending around the sides and top of the panel; and cooperable means on said cast radiating units and trimming for adjustably securing the latter inwardly and outwardly on and relatively to said panel, said trimming. being adapted to bridge the gap between the panel and adjacent edges of the wall defining the recess and adapted to snugly contact the wall in different positions of the front panel inwardly and outwardly relative to the plane of the wall.

14. An air heating apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said trimming is of angular cross section, one flange of the section extending within the wall recess and the other-flange extending parallel with and adapted to overlie the wall surface. a

15. In an air heating apparatus of thecharacter described, the combination with an exposed front wall radiating panel of generally grille-like formation; of means on the inner unexposed side of the panel for venting the heating medium; and detachable means on the radiating panel located in proximity to the venting means, to provide an access opening through the panel to the venting means.

16. In an air heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with an exposed front wall radiating panel; of air convection current heating means disposed on the unexposed side of the panel and the top portion of which is below the upper portion of the radiating panel; means for supplying a heating medium to both the radiating panel and convection heating means; and a vent pipe connection from the top of the convection heating means to the radiat-' ing panel at a point in the latter above the top of said convection heating means.

17. In an air heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with a front exposed radiating panel, the latter at the bottom and at each end thereof having nipple bosses on the back side thereof and inwardly offset from the extreme ends of the panel; of convection air current heating means disposed on the back unexposed side of the radiating panel and provided at their ends with nipple openings likewise disposed inwardly of the extreme end planes of the panel; and headers at each end of the apparatus, each header having nipple connections with the adjacent nipple formations of the radiating panel and convection heating means, the outer end faces of said headers being so located as to be substantially flush with the extreme ends of the radiating panel, said headers being provided with additional openings for connection to the supply and return lines for therheating medium.

18. In an air heating and humidifying apparatus for installation in a wall recess, the combination with a front panel comprised of separated grille-like radiating units and intermediate similar grille-like door closure means; of headers at each end of the apparatus and adapted to be disposed Within the recess, said headers be-- ing in communication with the radiating units; concealed pipe connections between the radiating units; a convection air heating unit connected to the inner face of each end header; a humidifying unit on the back side of the panel and opposite the door closure means; and a deflector and partitions for segregating the air currents passing upwardly of the humidifying meansfrom the air currents passing upwardly of the convection heating means, the latter currents being discharged through the grille formation of the radiating unitsvand the humidified air being discharged through the grille formation of the door closure means.

CHARLES W. GOOD. HARRY G. NAYLOR. THOMAS J. REGAN. 

